The Future of Inaba
by DexheartDusk
Summary: When in the past, try to limit interaction with people you know from the future. But what if you end up becoming good friends with your parents? And end up needing their help? Things just got complicated.
1. Chapter 1

**_Wednesday, April 14, 2038_**

"Hiro!" I yelled, holding out an empty granola box. "Why did I find this in the cereal cupboard?!"

My brother looked up for a second, then went back to eating his breakfast, the last of the granola. "Because it's cereal."

"It's empty!" I continued to yell. "Don't put empty boxes back in the cupboard!"

"Hikaru." Hiro looked straight into my eyes. "You're starting to sound just like dad."

I felt my face grow red. To cover up my embarrassment, my voice got louder. "Sh-shut up! I don't sound anything like him! Besides, you talk like mom all the time!"

"So?" Hiro took another bite of cereal. "I am her son, after all. It's said that boys take after their mothers and girls take after their fathers. We're living proof to that testament."

"Hikaru, I can hear you from the shop! Keep it down!" Our father interrupted our argument. "Oh, I got a call. Junes is having a sale on granola."

Hiro smirked. "Looks like the problem's been solved."

"You still ate the last of the granola and put the box in the cupboard to trick me." I grumbled. I grabbed my wallet and headed out the door. "I'll be back in a bit!" I called to our dad.

"Stop yelling!" He yelled back.

* * *

Junes wasn't that crowded since it was only nine in the morning. I bought three boxes of granola and a bottle of orange juice before making a detour to the electronics department.

"Here to watch the TVs?" one of the employees asked, trying to hide a laugh. "They aren't showing any movies right now. Only pictures of flowers."

"That sounds cool." I said back. "But not today. Just gonna check out some CDs and go home. I haven't had breakfast yet."

The employee laughed and waved before leaving to restock shelves.

I laughed, too. I came to the electronics department a lot to watch what played on the TVs when Hiro annoyed me at home. The store manager was friends with my parents, so as long as I didn't break anything or disrupt other customers, no one seemed to mind.

I stopped walking when I realized that, by thinking about the TVs, I'd walked right into that section. I groaned. The CDs were on the opposite side of the department.

But before I could turn around, a light erupted from one of the TVs, momentarily blinding me.

'This is too dangerous!' A woman's voice called.

'I'm almost there!' A man replied. 'Just once more and I know I can reach.'

The voices sounded like they were coming from the TV. I edged closer, trying to see around the bright light. When I was close enough to touch it, a hand reached out of the screen and grabbed my wrist.

'I have something!' The man's voice cried. 'I have something!'

The hand pulled me even closer to the TV. I squinted and could make out my arm. But my hand was gone, replaced by the white surface of the screen. I screamed as the hand pulled my in further, until my whole body was inside the TV.

* * *

I must have passed out, because when I woke up, I was lying on a small bed. When I sat up, four heads turned to look at me.

"She's awake!" One man exclaimed. I recognised his voice from before I was pulled into the TV.

"You mean, she's alive." A second man added. He crossed his arms and scowled at the first man. "I thought you were just grabbing an object."

"I thought so, too." The first man replied, still watching me. "But she can tell us so much more."

"And what about when you're done?" the third man interjected. "How will you get her back?"

"The same way I got her here."

"That won't be possible." The sole woman, whose voice I also recognised, corrected. "When she came through, the levels spiked and crashed. I can't open the vortex. We'll need to fix it."

"So your husband has kidnapped a child!" the second man yelled.

"Not necessarily." The third man said, raising his hand in front of the second man's face. "We aren't sure how far the vortex reached."

"He's right." The first man's face lit up. "We don't know if she's even been born yet!"

"What the hell's going on here?!" I cried. "Vortex?! Not born yet?! Dammit, what're you talking about?!"

"What year are you from?" the first man asked. "We'll need to know to get you back, anyway."

I blew air up into my eyes in frustration. "2038. April 14th, to be exact."

"Twenty-five years!" the second man gasped. "How is that possible?"

"It reached farther than I'd ever imagined." The woman nodded. "Akihisa! Jiro! Go get her some clothes! She'll need to blend in." The second and third men left the room immediately. "Now, my name is Namasayo Kirino. This man is my husband, Namasayo Ginta."

"H… Hello." I said, trying to calm down. "I'm Hikaru—"

"Don't!" Ginta yelled. "Don't tell us your name! It could change the future, change your time!"

Kirino nodded. "He's right. How about an alias?"

"How about Namasayo Mina?" Ginta's eyes lit up. "It's perfect!"

"He's always wanted a daughter." Kirino explained. "Although, I am unable to have kids."

"I'll be Kuroshin Shiro." I suggested, then looked away. "And, y'know, as a cover, I could pose as a foster child."

"Brilliant!" Ginta wrapped his arms around me in a warm hug. "You're so smart!"

Kirino cleared her throat. "Back to the main issue. Shiro, what time was it when my husband grabbed you?" She shot a glare at the man in question.

"About nine-thirty."

She nodded in understanding. "So the date and time didn't change, but the year did." She pulled a small tablet from her pocket and made a note. "When we get this thing fixed, we'll try to send you back around the same time to avoid any mishaps."

"In the meantime, we'll enroll you in school." Ginta smiled, still holding me in a hug. "What year are you in?"

"I graduated high school last month." I informed them. "I'm eighteen."

Ginta looked ready to cry. "What? But… school."

"What about your parents?" His wife suggested.

I made some quick calculations. "They'd be third years in high school this year." I paused. "Holy shit! I'm older than my parents!"

* * *

**Wow, I actually got this thing up before the mentioned date. I wonder if I can continue this trend.**

**I love getting comments on what people thought, so, comment away.**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Monday, April 15, 2013**_

My first day of school was so uneventful, it was downright boring. Since I was from the future, not to mention already graduated, I knew everything already.

But I was enrolled in the same school that my parents had attended. Or, rather, were attending.

"Kuroshin-san!" A girl approached me after classes were done. Her long reddish-brown hair was tied back in two pigtails that followed her like ribbons. "Where did you go to school before coming here?"

"I was homeschooled." I recited the story Ginta and Kirino had helped me create. "I wanted to get some experience in a real school before college."

"Really? That's so cool!" She clapped her hands in amazement. "So, is it true you're actually a year older than everyone else?"

I smiled. "Well, I am two years older than the second years."

She laughed. "Hey, My friends and I are heading over to Junes. Wanna come?"

My ears pricked when I heard that name. _So it even existed back then._ I mused to myself. But to the girl, I said "Are you sure? I don't want to intrude."

"It's fine." She smiled and pulled me from my seat. "We're meeting up with some friends who graduated last year. I'll introduce you."

* * *

When the whole group was assembled, the girl, who told me her name was Kujikawa Rise, introduced me to the group.

"Sorry we couldn't exchange names back at school." The short boy who was in the class beside mine and Rise's said, passing me a drink.

"Yeah, Rise took forever meeting us, so we were late." The taller boy from the same class the other laughed, then stopped. "Not that it's your fault or anything."

Rise laughed. "Kanji, it's okay. I'm the one who talked so long."

I almost choked on my drink. _Kanji?_ I thought he looked familiar, but I assumed that was just my mind wanting to belong. I know this boy in the future. Heck, I worked at his shop.

I glanced around the group. I recognised almost everyone. But I had no idea who the shorter boy or the boy with silver hair were.

Kanji's classmate caught my eye and smiled, extending his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Kuroshin-san. My name is Shirogane Naoto."

I resisted the urge to slap my forehead. That was why I didn't recognise him. He was a girl in the future. Or, maybe he was now, too, and just dressed like a boy. Even I preferred the male uniform.

"Tatsumi Kanji." The boy grunted, almost sounding embarrassed.

"I'm Satonaka Chie." The girl across from me chimed in. She waved her hand toward the girl beside her, who was in the middle of a laughing fit. "This is Amagi Yukiko."

"Hanamura Yosuke." The boy wearing an apron chimed in, placing snacks on the table.

I'd already known who all these people were. What I was waiting for was the name of the silver-haired boy.

He met my eyes and gave a small smile. "Narukami Yu."

A shiver went down my spine. The way he'd said his name was like he'd known that was what I'd wanted to know, not just an introduction. I felt like he could see right into my mind. _If he finds out, the future could change._

"It's nice to meet you." I tried to smile convincingly. "So, um, what do you guys usually do when you get together?"

"Oh, usual stuff." Yosuke glanced around the group. "Mostly talk. Oh, hey, Chie, how's training coming?"

"Pretty good. I'll be in the ring in no time." She grinned, then turned to me. "I'm training to be a kick-boxer."

"Sounds tough. Good luck." I already knew that she would be known nationwide for her skills.

"What do you want to do after high school, Kuroshin-kun?" Yu asked me.

"Just Shiro's fine." I told them. Ginta had trained me to respond to that, rather than my new family name. "I'm planning to take over the business from my father."

"That's cool." Rise slapped my shoulder. "What business is it? My grandmother runs a tofu shop and Kanji's mom owns Tatsumi Textiles. Oh, and Yukiko's family runs an inn, but she's focusing on other things."

I started panicking. I'd told them the truth without thinking. I couldn't tell them what shop. They'd know something was up right away. "Oh, it's in another town. Just a small business, but I like it."

"Sounds like most of the shops in Inaba." Yosuke laughed. "You must feel right at home."

I hadn't realized it before, but he was right. When I wasn't worrying about revealing I was from the future, I felt at ease. Even without the things from my time I'd though I couldn't live without.

I nodded. "I like living here."

* * *

When I got back to Ginta's house, Kirino was in the kitchen making dinner. "I'm back."

"Shiro, how was school? I hope you weren't too bored."

"It's fine." I walked into the kitchen and found some milk tea in the fridge. "Can I have some of this?" She nodded and I grabbed a glass. "I made some friends."

She paused in her cooking. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

I put the bottle back and turned to face her. "I'm being careful. Although, it would be easier if they knew, but that'd be too dangerous." I took a sip of tea.

"Did you meet your parents?" Kirino smiled when I half-choked on my drink. "It is a small town."

"I met a lot of people I knew… or, will know." I laughed. "That's annoying. I'm never gonna wish to travel back in time again."

"Dinner will be ready soon." She changed the subject. "Why don't you go get changed?"

"'Kay." I finished my drink, then went upstairs to the room I was using while I was there.

While I'd been at school, Kirino had gone shopping and gotten me some underwear and some shirts. I pulled on the jeans I'd been wearing the day before and a black sweater. Something on the tags caught my attention.

"Kirino, where did you get these clothes?" I asked, coming back down the stairs.

"At Junes." She called back. "Why? Are they the wrong size?"

"No, they're fine." I bit my lip. "It's just, they're all from the boy's section."

Kirino looked up from the stove. "When you came through the vortex, you were unconscious. I had to check that your heart was still beating. That involved removing your shirt."

I nodded, but said nothing further on the matter. "Do you want me to set the table?" I walked over to the cabinet and pulled out some plates.

"Shiro, are you alright?"

"It's just how I was born." I didn't look at her. "My mom dressed as a boy, so no one thought much of it. I didn't either."

* * *

**As always, love to read comments. Just don't ask what's going on in that last scene. Cause, at this point, I don't even know.**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Tuesday, April 16, 2013**_

When I woke up, I was confused. I didn't recognise where I was. "Hiro?" I called, getting out of bed. "Dad?!"

The door to the room I was in opened and a man and woman ran in. "Shiro, what's wrong?" The woman asked.

I just stared at them, slowly edging away.

The man noticed this and raised his hands. "Hikaru? Was that your name?"

"Who are you?" I whispered.

"Did the vortex do this?" The woman wrapped her arms around herself. "Ginta, what happened?"

_Ginta?_ I stepped toward the couple. "I know you."

"Hikaru, Try to calm down." The man slowly lowered his hands. "Think about what happened."

My memories of the past two days slowly returned and I let out a sigh. "Sorry. I forgot."

Kirino wrapped her arms around me and smoothed my hair. "It's alright. A lot has happened. We understand."

"I think it's best if we call you Hikaru when at the house or lab." Ginta suggested. "To avoid time ripples." When I made a confused face, he elaborated. "If you only live as Shiro, who doesn't exist, your mind will try to revert back to Hikaru, who isn't in this time. Thus, causing the confusion you just experienced."

"Sure." I agreed, still trying to wrap my head around the theory.

Kirino released me from her hug, but held onto my hand. "Let's get you some breakfast. You didn't really eat much yesterday. What do you want?"

"Coffee?" I suggested. "Oh, and that granola I had with me."

She smiled and led me to the kitchen, glancing back at her husband occasionally.

* * *

_**Saturday, April 20, 2013**_

"Shiro-kun!" Rise yelled, despite the fact that she was just a few desks away and the room was nearly empty. "Are you busy tomorrow afternoon?"

I thought for a second. Since tomorrow was Sunday, Ginta wanted to run some tests to see if the confusion was the only side effect of the vortex. But that shouldn't last past noon. "I'm free." I told my new friend.

She clapped her hands. "Great! Then you'll meet us at the Junes food court, right?"

I had to smile. "What is that, your headquarters?" I'd meant it as a joke, but Rise looked shocked and a little hurt. "At least there's a lot of food if you get hungry during a meeting." I added.

She smiled back, but it was obviously forced. "Ha ha, that's a good point. Chie and Kanji are always ready for snacks."

"I'll meet you there. What time?" I pulled out the cell phone Ginta had given me for my stay.

Rise did the same and we exchanged numbers. "How's one-thirty?"

I nodded and made a note of the time and place in my phone.

* * *

_**Sunday, April 21, 2013**_

Ginta's tests had only taken a few hours, so I was out the door by eleven. I decided to check out the shopping district before heading over to Junes.

The bookstore was small but had a nice selection. I bought a book about PTSD and a fantasy novel and slipped them into my bag for later.

I walked past the tofu shop and saw Rise serving some customers. She looked completely different in her white apron and kerchief than when she was at school. She saw me and waved, but kept working, since we'd see each other later.

I almost visited the local shrine, but stopped when I saw what was next to it. In front of the shop were displays of small knitted animals. I scanned them, looking for a cat or a bear.

I didn't hear him approaching and jumped when Kanji greeted me. He looked just as surprised when he saw it was me.

"Oh, Shiro-kun." He glanced away. "You… look different."

"I'm pretty sure everyone looks different than when they're in school uniforms." I tugged at my black T-shirt, but knew that wasn't what he was talking about.

I'd gone to Junes during the week and gotten some pants and accessories for myself. I was wearing one of the pendants now, a scull-and-crossbones that matched my father's tattoo. I'd also braided my hair instead of just pulling it into a ponytail.

"Yeah, I guess that's true." He rubbed the back of his head. "It's just, you look like a girl now, y'know?"

"Did you make these?" I quickly changed the subject. "They don't have tags, so they must be hand-made. They're really cute." I picked up a little dog. "Bow-wow. Woof!"

Kanji cracked a small smile. "That's a wolf, not a dog."

"Awooo!" I howled, sending us both into laughter. "It's still adorable."

He blushed and looked away. "Don't you think it's weird for a guy to like knitting and sewing?"

"No way!" I shook my head. "It's awesome! Step away from gender roles! I learned to knit from my dad." I shut my mouth before I gave myself away.

He didn't notice. "Thanks." He took the wolf from my hands and walked over to a counter in the store. There, he retrieved a ribbon and tied it around the animal's neck. "Catch!" He called, tossing it back to me. "On the house."

"But—" I tried to protest.

"It suits you." He replied before stepping into the store's back room, ending any further argument.

"Kanji?"

I turned when I heard a woman's voice behind me. She looked a bit shocked, but soon hid it from her face.

"Sorry, you look a lot like the boy who lives here." She smiled at the wolf in my hand. "He's so talented, but really shy."

"Do I look that much like him?" I didn't think we looked that much alike. I felt the colour drain from my face. _Did she figure it out?_

But the woman simply nodded, her smile growing. "For a moment, I'd thought you were his sister. Then I remembered he's an only child. Are you a relative of his?"

"Yes." I stammered before realising what I was saying. "Uh, I'm a distant cousin. Hardly any blood ties, but I guess the gene pool decided to remind us." I tried to make a joke out of it, but it sounded really lame.

The woman laughed despite the bad joke. "I see." She waved and continued walking down the street.

I gave a sigh of relief. _This is going to be harder than I thought._ I grumbled in my head as I made my way to Junes.

* * *

**Comments greatly appreciated.**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Still Sunday, April 21, 2013**_

After meeting up at the food court, our group walked around Junes, talking about what we'd been up to and looking at different products. I was actually having a lot of fun, until it came to my turn to talk about what I'd been doing lately.

I panicked, knowing I couldn't tell them I'd been playing a videogame that wouldn't start development for another twenty years. "Um, just been reading books." I lied.

"That's cool." Chie encouraged me. "It's always good to crack open a book once in a while."

"Not that you ever do." Yosuke jibed at her.

"Hey, I crack a book sometimes."

Yukiko started laughing uncontrollably. "Chie, that's funny." She gasped.

I giggled, too. I was glad that Chie had already explained about her training, so my laugh made sense. In reality, I was laughing because her latest televised fight happened to involve her ripping a book in half from a single kick.

We continued talking about different books until we reached the electronics department. A hush went over the group. I fell silent because I was standing in the exact spot where, in my time, I'd disappeared. I didn't know why they stopped talking.

"Hey, so, aren't these TVs huge?" Rise tried to lighten the mood.

"Big enough to fit through." I smiled, but everyone else laughed nervously. I put my hand up to the screen of the closest TV. "To bad there's a barrier." I mused before catching myself. I'd started talking about the vortex by accident.

"Barrier?" Yosuke turned to me. "Wait, you know about it, too?" He put his hand on the screen next to mine.

"What?" I hadn't expected them to know about time travel.

Just then, I felt my hand falling closer to the TV. I turned and saw that it, along with Yosuke's, was inside the screen. In my surprise, I lost my balance and fell. I flailed my other arm and grabbed the closest thing, which happened to be Yosuke, who fell with me.

* * *

"Shiro, wake up!" Someone called to me.

I slowly opened my eyes. I was looking up at a ceiling covered in different fabrics. I turned my head and saw Rise kneeling beside me. Her friends were standing a little further away, looking around.

"What happened?" I asked, sitting up. "Was that TV a hologram?"

"No." Yu stepped forward. "We've entered the TV. I'm guessing you didn't know about it."

_In the TV?!_ I swung my head around, taking in my surroundings. The room we were in looked like a distorted version of Tatsumi Textiles from my time.

"Where are we?" Yukiko asked, running a hand over a curtain of fabric. "This looks like the Textile shop."

"Hey, don't look at me! I didn't create this place!" Kanji yelled.

"What about me?" A voice came from further in the 'shop'. "Isn't it possible for me?"

We all turned and were met with the sight of a little girl with blond braids. She smiled at us, but it wasn't a warm smile.

"What if I said I wanted to follow in mom's footsteps?" she continued. "What if I said I was jealous of my brother? Can't I be a detective?"

"Who is that?" Chie voiced the question we were all thinking.

"Rise?" Yu turned to the idol. "She's already in here."

She nodded. "Persona!" She called. A woman with a satellite dish for a head appeared behind Rise and covered her eyes with a metal ring. "It's a shadow, that much is easy." She explained. "But, this doesn't make sense. How can a child that young have a shadow?"

"No one cares about you, you know." The little girl took a step toward us. "And why would they? When you avoid them at all costs. People are so scary."

Yosuke gasped. "Whoa, doesn't this sound like what Kanji's shadow said?"

"And that fist part sounded like Naoto's." Chie added. "Is she all of us combined?"

"I can do it, you know!" The girl yelled. "I just don't want to be a detective. I can be anything I want. So stop treating me like a baby!"

"Stop it!" I yelled back, causing everyone to look in my direction. "If you don't want to be treated like a baby, then stop acting like one!"

The girl grinned. "I'm not acting like anything. This is the real me. Didn't you hate it when your brother was allowed to play sports, but you had to stay home? Didn't you hate him?"

"Sure, I was annoyed, but I didn't want to play."

"You're still lying to yourself?" The girl walked up to me and grabbed my pendant. "I admired my father. He could beat the shit out of anyone. And mom could chase down any crook. Compared to them, I'd be better off in a wheelchair. I'm useless."

"Shut it!" I pushed her away. "You're really starting to make me mad, you know that! Who the hell are you?!"

"Shiro, you shouldn't use that language with a little kid." Yukiko warned me.

The girl ignored her. "I'm you, obviously." She started unbuttoning the front of her dress. "If you need proof, I'll show you."

She pulled the cloth away from her chest, revealing the long scar that ran from just below her collarbone to her navel. She smirked when everyone but me gasped. "Do you believe me now?"

I shook my head. "Impossible!"

"Don't say it!" Rise warned.

I gripped my shirt over my heart. "You may have the same scar, but that doesn't mean you're me! You can't be!"

"But I am you." She said in an overly-childish voice.

"Stop lying!" I took a step back. "I'm not like you! You aren't me!"

* * *

**Shadow Confrontation! Writing this scene took a lot out of me, but I can't stop now. The next chapter will be up in a few days, so keep reading.**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Sunday, April 21, 2013 (?)**_

The little girl let out a malicious laugh. "If you don't stop lying to yourself…" Ominous shadow-energy surrounded her and sent a strong wind toward me, blowing me off my feet.

When the energy cleared, the girl was gone. In her place was an android girl with rings of roses around her neck and wrists. "I'll just have to make you stop!"

"Shiro!" Naoto called, grabbing my wrist and pulling me back. "Stay back. It's dangerous."

I nodded slowly and made my way to the far wall where I'd be out of their way. _What just happened?_ I repeated over and over again in my mind.

I peeled the top of my shirt away from my skin and looked down at the scar on my chest. It was from the surgery I'd required the day of my birth.

I'd been born with an overstimulated heard and an overflow of blood into my lungs. The surgery was to pump the blood out so I could breath and fix the connection. They couldn't do much for my heart, so I'm not allowed to be too athletic.

A memory hit me then. When I was nine, my school was having a sports day. I'd been excited about competing, but my parents had kept me home that day. That was also the day my father had taught me how to knit.

_I'd wanted to compete._ I reminded myself. _I hated having this stupid handicap._

When I'd entered Middle School, I'd joined the sewing club. The clubroom had looked out over the track, so I could watch different teams practicing while I made little animals.

"I was able to forget." I said out loud. I looked up, stood up, and walked over to where my new friends were fighting… me. "I wanted to forget. Because the memory was more painful than my condition."

I pulled the neckline of my shirt down to show everyone my scar. "I can't fight. I can't run. But I wanted to. I want to be a part of a team!"

The fast blue persona snuck around my shadow and pushed her off balance. The bulky black persona followed up was a massive attack.

My shadow fell to the ground, reverting back to the little girl with braids. She slowly sat up and rubbed her head. "That hurt."

"I'm sorry." I knelt in front of her. "I hurt you. I hurt myself. Thank you for showing me that, just because I'm handicapped, doesn't mean I have anything to be afraid of."

She slipped her hand into mine. "Will you tell them the truth? Just that one fact will be okay, right?"

I nodded. "You're right. Just that won't hurt."

She smiled. "Thank you." She let out a calming blue glow before transforming into a girl closer to my age with small bear ears and a thin veil covering her face. She looked almost like a princess, but more regal.

"My… Persona." I breathed. She nodded and turned into a small card before merging with my body.

Someone put a hand on my shoulder and I turned to see Yu smiling at me. "Good job." He congratulated.

"So, what was that about a scar?" Yosuke asked. He was trying not to look at my chest.

I glanced down and saw that the tip of the scar was still visible at the top of my shirt. "I needed surgery when I was born." I clarified. "The procedure was a success, but my heart is still temperamental, so I could never play sports."

"You're part of a team now, though." Rise pointed out.

"Yeah." I laughed. "I'm one of—"

"What about me?!"

Everyone turned at the new voice. I took a fighting stance, ready to call out my new power if I was needed. But when the owner of the voice emerged, my friends relaxed.

"Teddie!" They cried in unison.

The blue bear-thing in a red jumpsuit that was walking toward us looked crestfallen. "You all forgot about me."

"No, we'd never forget about you." Yukiko tried to sooth the bear. "It's just that we've been really busy lately."

"That's right." Chie chimed in. "We've graduated, so we aren't always in Inaba."

Teddie turned to Rise, Naoto, and Kanji for an explanation, since they were still attending high school.

"Hey, I'm not always here, either." Rise pointed out. "I have photoshoots, filming appointments, concerts." She put her hands on Naoto's shoulders. "And Naoto-kun's a busy detective."

"I've gotta help my mom with the shop." Kanji added.

"Okay." Teddie sighed, then looked up at me. "So, who's your new friend."

"Kuroshin Shiro." I introduced myself. "It's nice to meet you."

"Teddie lives here." Yu explained. "Usually, if someone falls into a TV, he finds them for us."

"Cool." I felt my head spin and fell to my knees. "Whoa!" I tried to laugh it off. "I guess that's a little too much excitement for my heart."

"Didn't you just say you had a weak heart?!" Kanji yelled. "Quit acting like nothing's wrong!"

"He's right." Naoto agreed. "You should see a doctor."

* * *

**Sorry I'm late in posting this. It should have been up yesturday. Well, please enjoy anyway.**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Sunday, April 28, 2013**_

After a week of recovery, I was getting pretty restless. Kirino has insisted that I stay home from school, even though the doctors had said there was nothing wrong.

I sighed in frustration, pulling my phone out of my pocket when I heard it chime. It was a text from Rise:

_Hey, Golden Week starts tomorrow. If you're feeling better, we're all meeting at Junes again. 11:00._

"Kirino!" I called. "Can I go out tomorrow?!"

She walked through the door to my bedroom and crossed her arms over her chest. "Where do you think I was?"

I cringed. "In your office?" Her office, which was right next to the room I was using. She nodded slowly. "Sorry."

She sighed. "Alright."

I smiled and hopped off my bed to hug her. "Thanks."

"Hikaru?" She touched my shoulders. "Are you sure you can't tell us where you were? What happened?"

I bit my lip. "Sorry, I can't."

Even though Ginta and Kirino both worked with time travel, a world inside the TV seemed a little out there. I still hadn't told them that I'd been pulled through a TV into the vortex.

"Ginta wants to have another session." Kirino changed the subject when she realized I wouldn't tell her anything. "Is there anything you can tell him about the future?"

I thought about it for a moment. "I guess. As long as I don't give too many details."

* * *

"Are there robots?" Ginta read from his list of questions.

I rolled my eyes, using the motion to glance at the clock. We'd been doing this for three hours already. "Yes. There are robots." I pointed at the vacuum cleaner that was making its rounds. "There's one now."

Ginta laughed. "What about human-shaped robots?"

"I think so." I had to think about it. Inaba wasn't really keen on robotics in the future, but I'm pretty sure a robot security guard had to escort me out of Junes once when I'd fallen asleep on a display bed. "Yeah, there are. But they're mostly in the city."

"What about lasers?" Ginta shook his head. "Wait, we have lasers now." He flipped to a new page in his notebook. "Um… the people." He looked up into my eyes. "You've met some people you know in the future, right? Have they changed at all?"

"I can't give details." I reminded him. "But, from what I've gathered, the kids at school are more… open to who they really are. I've seen some people in this time picking fights for fun, where in the future, they look for any reason not to fight."

He took a few notes, then nodded. "Thanks. I'm done."

I let out a sigh and slumped in my seat. "Dinner?" I asked, looking over at Kirino.

She smiled and set a plate of curry in front of me. "Expanding raisins and pineapple."

I licked my lips and grinned. My dad would make this curry whenever my brother or I'd had a big test. It had become a sort of award for us. _Family isn't whose blood runs through your veins._ I reminded myself. _Family is where you build your nest._

* * *

_**Monday, April 29, 2013**_

"Shiro-kun!" Rise waved as she approached the large table I'd sat at when I'd arrived at ten-thirty. "You made it!"

"Yeah. A week's long enough." I took a deep breath of the crisp air. "I need air!"

She laughed, along with two people behind us. I turned to see Yosuke and a blond boy walking toward our table.

"Hey survivor." Yosuke had taken to calling me that after I'd explained about my scar. "Feeling the magic of country air?"

Before I could respond, the blond boy jumped onto the bench beside me and stared at my face. "Hi." I greeted him, blinking in surprise.

"Can I score with you?" He blurted.

"Teddie!" Rise and Yosuke cried at the same time I laughed. "You can try."

His face filled with hope, then it faded. He turned to Yosuke. "Hey, how do you score with someone?"

"How should I know?" Yosuke sat down on his other side. "Oh yeah. Shiro, this is Teddie's other form."

I reached out and ruffled Teddie's hair. "Hey. Still cute."

His face lit up. "Really?" He caught sight of something over my shoulder and waved. "Sensei! She said I was cute!"

I turned around and saw Yu, Chie, Yukiko, Kanji, and Naoto exiting an elevator. I couldn't help the blush that spread over my cheeks, but pushed the thoughts out of my head. I had something important to tell them today.

"Alright." Rise started once everyone was seated. "I sent everyone a text relaying your message, Shiro. What's up?"

I bit my lip and looked away. "Well, I promised my shadow I'd tell you." I glanced up at Yu, who seemed to be the leader of the group. "I'm… I'm different from you guys." I started.

"Are you like Teddie?" Chie asked. "'Cause, your persona wasn't exactly human. It had animal ears."

"Hey!" Teddie complained. "Being a bear isn't that bad."

"Kuma-kami. That's her name." I told them. "Actually, I grew up surrounded by stuffed animals. Cats and bears were my favourite." I took a deep breath. "But, that's not what makes me different. I'm sort of stuck here."

"You're trapped?" Naoto clarified. "Were you kidnapped?"

I fought back a laugh. _In a way, yes._ Instead, I said "No, I'm from Inaba, just not this Inaba."

"Now I'm confused." Kanji looked around. "There's another Inaba?"

"No." I felt a shiver run up my spine. It was now or never. "See, I'm actually from a different time. From the future."

* * *

**Well, bear's out of the cage now. Finally, things can move forward.**

**As always, reviews are highly appreciated.**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Still Monday, April 29, 2013**_

After I'd finished explaining, everyone was silent. As the seconds passed, my pulse quickened. When I noticed my breath becoming slightly laboured, I forced myself to calm down.

"So, you traveled through time?" Kanji verified. "And you got stuck here?"

I nodded. "After I came through, the vortex got blocked. Some scientists are trying to unblock it, but things aren't going as swiftly as we'd like."

"Is Shiro your real name?" Rise asked.

"Really? That's your first question." Yosuke chided her.

"It's a good question." I smiled. "And, no, Shiro is just an alias. But I can't tell you my real name."

"Why not?" Yukiko asked.

"Because I know most of you in the future." I explained. "If I told you who I was now, then, on your plane, you'd know I travel back in time before I do. It would change the future. That's why I wasn't sure about telling you I—"

"Okay!" Teddie interrupted, holding his head. "Shadows and Personas, I can understand. Time travel, I'm lost."

"Is there anything you can tell us?" Chie leaned in closer. "Like, what we're doing?"

I nodded slowly. "I can't give any timelines, but I guess loose information might work. Chie, you end up kicking butt all over Japan."

"Sweet!" She grinned.

"But you still live in Inaba with your husband." I shut my mouth before I gave any more away.

"Wait, Chie get's married?" Yosuke laughed, earning a glare from Chie.

"Everyone does." I looked over at Teddie. "Well, everyone I know. Sorry Teddie. Oh, and I don't know Yu-san, either."

Something slipped into my head and I remembered seeing a headline about Rise's engagement. _Narukawa Engaged!_ I kept my mouth shut, but couldn't help smiling.

"Obviously, Risette's still a star." Yosuke prompted.

"Who?" I looked around the group. When everyone glanced at Rise, I caught on. "Oh, no, Risette's dead." I laughed at their horrified expressions. "But Rise Kujikawa's pretty famous."

"I stopped being Risette?"

I nodded. "When you get older, you decide to be more of yourself, instead of just another idol."

"Cool!" Yosuke leaned forward and pointed to himself. "Hey, what about me?" I gestured around at the store and his face fell. "Really? That's it?"

"Sorry." I fiddled with my fingers for a moment, then remembered. "Oh, but we're pretty close. You call my parents whenever granola cereal's on sale."

"So you're saying my future consists of Junes and cereal? Not cool." He slumped in his seat, then remembered we were sitting on benches and sat up before he fell.

"Obviously Naoto becomes a detective." Chie slapped the girl's shoulder. "She's a genius."

"I… wouldn't say that." Naoto blushed and looked away.

I stared down at my hands. I'd wanted to avoid talking about Naoto and Kanji, because they were tied into my life the most. "Well, you are a detective, but you definitely look different. More like a girl."

Rise and Yukiko laughed while Kanji turned deep red.

"Kanji and Yukiko help out with family businesses." I ended. "Nothing major there."

"What about kids?" Rise almost begged. "Do any of us have kids?"

"Um, everyone — that I know – has at least one child." I couldn't look at anyone.

"Are any of us your parent?" Yu asked the question I was praying no one would ask.

I made a strangled sound in my throat, but it was Rise who answered. "Isn't that something she can't tell us?"

"Rise's right." Yukiko added. "Even if she doesn't name her parents, if she says one of us is, then we'd be able to figure it out."

Yu let the subject drop, but he still looked at me as if waiting for an answer.

* * *

_**Friday, May 3, 2013**_

_Please don't notice._ I begged as I approached the table at Junes where everyone was already seated. If they didn't notice, it would add to my confidence.

But, if they did notice and didn't say anything, or just brought it up casually, that would show they were good friends.

"Shiro!" Teddie got up and gave me a bear hug. "You finally made it."

"Hi Teddie." I smiled and patted his head. "It should be illegal to be that cute."

"That's why I live in the TV!" He laughed, then pulled me over to the group.

"Glad you could make it, Shiro." Yosuke said once I was seated. "We were thinking about taking you into the TV to learn how your Persona works." He looked over at me, but quickly looked away.

I smiled. "What's wrong Yosuke?"

"Shiro, your shirt's a bit…" Kanji trailed off, his face growing red. "Uh…"

"It's a girl's shirt." I sighed. "It's cut a little lower than a boy's shirt."

"It looks good on you." Naoto smiled.

"I'm not hiding anymore." I looked around at the group. "I already told you about when I'm from, and you already know I have the scar."

"Wow." Rise glanced around and swallowed. "I'm pretty sure you're embracing your shadow faster than any of us."

* * *

**Well, these past few chapters have been fast, but the next one won't be up for at least a week. So, break time!**

**Reviews welcome.**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Wednesday, May 8, 2013**_

In my time, I'd been to _Aiya's_ two or three times. But from the scene in my memory, not much had changed. Even the food was the same.

"So, what's the occasion?" I asked Ginta and Kirino, slurping at my noodle bowl.

Ginta glanced at his wife and set down his chopsticks. "Hikaru, we have good news for you."

I stopped slurping. "Then why do you sound so sad?"

"He's just upset that he doesn't have much time left." Kirino rubbed her husband's shoulder.

"Are you dying?!" I gasped.

"What?! No!" Ginta coughed and regained his composure. "We've found a way to get you back to your own time."

"But we can only open the vortex on certain days." Kirino picked a piece of noodle off my cheek. "Only when it's foggy."

In my shock, I inhaled some broth and started coughing. Teddie had told me that, when it gets foggy, the fog lifts in the TV and causes shadows to act up. _Maybe it's their energy that powers the vortex._ I thought as I dispelled the liquid from my lungs.

"Are you alright?" The blue-haired waitress asked, bringing over more napkins.

"I'm fine." I assured her. After she'd left, I turned back to Ginta. "So, when it's foggy, I'm going home? How long will I have to wait?"

His face fell. "Only about a month." He sighed.

I nodded and tried to smile. "Wow! A whole month? How many awesome adventures will we have?"

They had to smile. We talked about the sights and changes to little things until the waitress started ringing some bells.

"Happy Birthday to you!" Everyone in the restaurant started singings. "Happy Birthday to you!" The waitress approached a table where five people were seated. Colourful gift bags were set around one girl.

"Happy Birthday, dear Sydney!" the girl's brother and sister all but yelled as the waitress set a small pastry in front of her. "Happy Birthday to you!"

"How nice." Kirino whispered longingly.

"They aren't Japanese." I commented without thinking. "I wonder why she's spending her birthday in Inaba."

"Hikaru, when is your birthday?" Ginta turned our attention back on me.

"February 29th." I blushed self-consciously. "I'm actually four-and-a-half."

Kirino laughed. "I didn't know there were actually people who were born on that day."

"There aren't." I paused. "Yet." We all laughed. I silently thanked the birthday girl for lightening the mood.

* * *

_**Sunday, May 12, 2013**_

"Shiro! Behind you!" Rise's voice sounded in my head and I grimaced.

"Rise, I'm not used to this whole direct thought thing yet." I grumbled as Kuma-kami hit the approaching shadows with her spears of light. "Please don't yell."

"Sorry." She apologised. "Yosuke, you're letting your guard down."

"I can't help it!" He complained. I turned to look at him in time to see him turning away from me. "It's… hard to concentrate."

"That sounds really pervy." Chie yelled at him.

"I just mean…" Yosuke couldn't finish his thought.

"Next time, I'll bring a sweater." I promised, pulling the neck of my shirt over my scar.

Kuma-kami lowered a veil that seemed to be infused with light between me and the others. When she pulled it away, I looked down at my shirt and saw that I was now wearing my favourite sweater. Straight from the future.

"Hey, that's a cool trick." Teddie, back in his bear-suit, walked up to me. "What else can it do? A swimsuit, maybe?"

"And Teddie wins the 'pervert of the day' award!" Chie cried, causing Yukiko to enter another laughing fit.

"Shadows are closing in." Rise warned, pulling us back to the matter at hand.

Teddie's Persona jumped over my head and took hold of Kuma-kami. When his feet touched the ground, he started running down the hall.

"What are you doing?!" I screamed at Teddie as we ran after them, leaving the others to fight the coming shadows. We rounded a corner and I ran right into his persona's stomach.

"I have to ask you something." Teddie confessed. "And you can tell me. I don't know you in the future, right?"

I nodded slowly. "Fine. What's up?"

"Are you Nao-chan and Kanji-kun's daughter?"

I took a step back, shocked at how direct the question was. "I… I…"

"Your shadow was talking like theirs did. And it looked like theirs when it went bear-serk." Teddie stepped in front of me, trapping me from running back to the group. "Are they your parents?"

I felt something slide down the side of my face and realized I'd started crying. "You can't tell them." I replied.

"I promise I won't." Teddie smiled and took my hand. "I just wanted to know." His persona released Kuma-kami and we started walking back. "You're a lot like Kanji-kun."

"I get that a lot. Now, and in the future." We laughed. Our personas teamed up to take out a shadow that had started tailing us and I slapped him a high-five.

* * *

**Happy Birthday to my little sister! Hope you liked it.**

**Big reveal! Reviews would be nice. I'd love to hear thoughts on that last scene.**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Thursday, May 16, 2013**_

I hadn't bothered to join a club since it would have meant group photos that would depict me in a time before my birth. Also, I hadn't known how long I'd be in this time. Now, I sort of regretted it.

"Kuroshin!" One of the soccer players called to me. "Why don't you join us?!"

He was Fujiwara Kyoya from my class. I knew he didn't mean join the club, since I'd made it perfectly clear I wasn't joining anything on my first day.

I walked down the slight hill to the field and he met me on the sideline. "If you don't mind a girl playing."

He laughed and handed me a coloured slip. "You'll be on my team for practice, so don't worry." He started walking back toward the game, but stopped. "Oh, and I know about the whole medical thing, so don't worry about running like the rest of us."

"Thanks." I mumbled, glad he'd turned around again so he wouldn't see me blushing.

"Kyoya, we've got a problem!" Another player called from the net. He was standing by a boy, who appeared to be the goalie, who was laying on the ground, holding his ankle. "Utama twisted his ankle making a save."

The goalie, Harusho Utamaro, looked up at Kyoya and grinned, but it was clear he was in a lot of pain. "I'll be fine." He tried to stand, but grimaced and fell against one of the other players.

"Utama, it's alright, just sit for today. Kuroshin said she'd join us today." Kyoya glanced over at me. "Looks like you'll be in net."

Utamaro took off his goalie's slip and handed it to me before being helped off the field. "Hope you feel better soon!" I called after him.

"Okay, back to practice." Kyoya tossed me the ball for a toss-in.

"No kicking at her chest!" one of my team-mates yelled at the other group. "She's a girl!" I chucked the ball at the back of his head, landing a bull's-eye.

* * *

"That was incredible!" Kyoya slapped my shoulder as we walked down the street. "I had no idea you were so talented, Kuroshin!"

"It's fine if you just call me Shiro." I tried not to blush. Ever since I was a kid, I'd never taken compliments very well.

"Well, Shiro, we, the soccer club, would love to have you on the team." Kyoya grinned, waiting for my answer.

"Sorry, but I can't join any clubs." I took a breath to steady myself. "I'm actually transferring soon."

His face fell. "Oh, that's too bad." Silence fell between us before he grabbed my hand. "Hey, how about you help us out before you transfer. You don't have to officially join, just come to a few practices."

I was shocked, to say the least. I'd never been begged to join a sports team before. "Sure." I said before I realized what I was saying.

"Great." Kyoya grinned. "And don't worry about your condition. Just using those great legs of yours to power the ball is more than enough." He blushed and looked away. "No, I didn't mean it like that. Oh, man, that sounded so weird."

I laughed. "I understand. Thanks for having me." I gave him a thumbs up. "I'll be at practice this Saturday."

* * *

_**Saturday, May 18, 2013**_

"Go Shiro!" Rise cheered from the sidelines as I made another save. "They don't stand a chance!"

"Ouch." The boy who'd tried to score pretended to wince. "Man, Risette can sure me harsh sometimes."

I picked up the ball and tossed it back to him. "Maybe if you improved, she'd cheer for you instead." I got an idea and smirked. "Hey, if you score the winning goal, she may even give you a kiss."

All the nearby boys cheered and pumped their fists in the air. "Captain, when's our next game?" One called to Kyoya, who pulled out his phone to check.

"On the 28th." He replied. "Ten days. Let's do our best until then!"

"Hey, why doesn't the Detective Princess join us today?" Another team member jabbed his thumb toward the stands where Rise, Naoto, and Kanji were seated.

"Good idea." His friend agreed. "And Tatsumi, too."

"This is an official practice, guys!" Kyoya yelled at them. "Shiro's an unofficial trainer, but that's it."

"Aw, Kyo-chan just doesn't want to lose to Shirogane." The boy who was taking shots at me chided his friend. "Just tell her, dude. Man up!"

A shiver went down my spine. On one hand, I wanted my new friend to be happy, but on the other, I knew he wouldn't. _If it worked out, I wouldn't exist._ The thought made the colour drain from my face.

"Sometimes being a man doesn't mean charging in." I quoted my dad. "Sometimes, it means knowing when to stand down, and having the courage to follow through."

"Thanks Shiro." Kyoya gave me a thumbs-up before turning back to the team. "Back to practice!"

* * *

After practice, I walked with my fellow persona-users down the shopping district. Rise popped into the tofu shop to get us snacks and we sat by the shrine beside the Textile shop.

"I honestly didn't know I could be a goalie." I confessed. "I thought all sports positions involved a lot of running. But a goalie needs to conserve energy to make all those saves." I looked up at the sky. "I'm really glad I came here. It's really helped me."

"You being here has helped us, as well." Naoto put her hand on my shoulder.

"That's right." Kanji nodded. "'Courage to follow through'. That's a good one."

I blushed. He wasn't supposed to have heard that.

"And how you faced your shadow was really inspirational." Rise added.

"But I didn't accept it." I protested. "I didn't want to be seen as weak. I didn't want anyone to know about…" I looked down at my chest, unable to finish the sentence.

"We all reacted like that at first." Naoto confessed. "Myself included."

"But what you did was really something." Kanji continued. "I mean, sure, no one wants to admit their weaknesses."

"It was like you weren't afraid if others knew." Rise handed me another snack. "You just didn't want to be seen as weak."

I couldn't help the tears that started sliding down my cheeks. "Hiding is easy." I said to myself as much as to them. "But showing who you truly are, and not minding how that changes how people see you… That's the hard part of life."

* * *

**Okay, I tried to be motivational. How'd I do?**

**The original game has sports, so I added some, too.**

**Hope you liked it. Please review.**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Wednesday, May 22, 2013**_

Teddie was waiting by the front gates when school let out. He didn't have an umbrella and his hair was dripping water into his eyes, but he was grinning as I approached.

"Hello, Shiro." He said in the voice he used when trying to pick up girls. "Are you busy this fine afternoon?"

I smiled and shifted my umbrella so that it covered him as well. "It's not a very 'fine' afternoon. But I am free. What's up?"

"Let's go on a date!" He yelled, cause nearby students to turn and stare.

Even though he looked human, Teddie still stood out. He never buttoned his shirt all the way and his eyes and hair seemed to always sparkle. Plus, the rose attached to his shirt seemed to never wilt.

"Teddie, what are you talking about all of a sudden?" I tried to laugh, but couldn't. He just seemed too out-of-character serious for this to be a joke.

"You said you'd be leaving soon, so I have to step up my game." I'd told everyone last Sunday about the vortex opening when it was foggy. Teddie, being from the TV world where no fog was dangerous, and happened when it was foggy here, always kept track of weather patterns.

"I still have over a week." I nudged him further from the surrounding students. "And please don't talk about that stuff here. I don't want anyone finding out."

He motioned zipping his lips, but started talking again. "A week isn't that long!" He grabbed my arm and started dragging me toward Junes. "Let's go!"

I looked back at the school and saw Rise standing at the doors. She pulled out her phone and pushed some buttons. A second later, my own phone beeped.

**? –Rise**

I managed to text her back with one hand.

**Date w/ Ted**

* * *

"Why are we going to Junes?" I asked when we reached to store.

"Well, I get a discount, and this is the only place I really know." Teddie confessed. "But we'll still have tons of fun!"

He led me to the clothing department first and told me to try on any clothes I wanted. I knew he wouldn't be able to afford tons of stuff, so I secretly told a sales clerk to charge the clothes I did choose to the card Kirino had given me.

"Wow!" He breathed when I emerged from the changing room. "That looks great!"

I looked down at the pink dress and black turtle-neck underneath it. I self-consciously rubbed my right ankle with my left foot. "I don't usually wear dresses."

"Why not? You look so cute!" Teddie actually blushed.

I tried on a few more clothes, but in the end, only got the first outfit. I let Teddie believe he was buying the clothes, but the sales clerk swiped my card instead.

After looking around a bit, we went to the roof for some food. Since it was still raining, we sat at a bench under an awning.

"Teddie, can I ask you something?" I ventured. When he nodded, I continued. "Do you age?" I looked away, waiting for his response.

"Not as fast as Sensei and the others." He answered.

"In twenty-five years, how will…" I couldn't finish. I didn't know what words to use.

"I think I'll be around nineteen." He guessed. "But it's hard to say. Now, I guess I'd be fifteen."

I nodded slowly, thinking. "So, when I go back to my time, you'll be only a little older than me?"

"I guess." Teddie said sadly. "Talking about that makes me sad. Can we stop."

"Sure." I looked around, trying to find something else to talk about. "Hey, what's Yosuke doing over there?" Teddie looked to where I was pointing.

Yosuke was standing on a chair by one of the amusement rides for kids. On the awning above, an orange animal was curled up in a ring, sleeping despite being soaked by the rain.

"It's Fox!" Teddie cried. "What's he doing up there?" He jumped up and ran over to the ride. I followed behind him.

"Come on!" Yosuke yelled. "We're both getting wet, here!"

The fox, who wasn't actually asleep, looked over at him briefly, before wiping his face with his paw and curling up again.

"Mr. Fox?" I called up. I grabbed a chair and boosted myself up like Yosuke had for a better look. "What are you doing here?"

The fox looked over at me, then reached out his paw to bop my nose. "Yip." He squeaked before getting up and curling himself on my shoulders.

"Why you little…" Yosuke grumbled, then he sighed. "Thanks for your help. That guy's been scaring the kids all afternoon."

"He seems friendly." I rubbed his head and he made a sound similar to a cat purring. "Hey, there. Why'd you jump up there? You're all wet now."

"Yip." He responded.

"Hey, don't steal my girl!" Teddie complained.

Yosuke punched his shoulder. "What do you mean by that? Since when is Shiro 'your girl'?"

"For your information, we're on a date right now."

"Sorry Teddie." I smiled. "I just love animals."

"Really?" His eyes seemed to sparkle more than usual. "Then, our next date will be in the TV."

"I'd like that 'beary' much." We laughed.

"I'll never understand you." Yosuke grumbled. He put the chairs back to where they should be and went back to work.

* * *

After Teddie had gone back into the TV, I walked with the fox to the shopping district. Occasionally, he would nudge the bag in my hand with a whimper.

"What's wrong?" I wiggled the fingers on my free hand and he came around to my other side. "Better?" I asked as I rubbed his head.

"Yip!" He jumped up on his hind legs so I could scratch his chin.

"You sure are cute." I mused to myself. We walked with my hand brushing against his head until we reached the shrine and he whined. "Is this were you live?"

He ran up a few steps, then turned back to look at me. I followed him to the top.

"Wow, this place sure looks different." I giggled. I walked over and rang the bell. I was greeted with a dull clanging sound. "In the future, this place will be as popular as the Amagi Inn."

"Yip!" The fox ran in circles and looked up at my face. I could almost see a smile on his muzzle.

* * *

**The fox is personally one of my favorite characters, so I had to include him. And Teddie and Hikaru had another moment! I still feel bad for only bringing him in after her shadow, so he's getting good screen time.**

**As always, reviews are loved.**


	11. Chapter 11

_**Saturday, May 25, 2013**_

I could feel sweat drip down my neck as the blue blur ducked around the other team members. _I had no idea she was so fast._ I thought, preparing to block.

"Shiro, it's all yours!" Utamaro called from the sidelines. He'd finally recovered and would be replacing me during the second half of practice.

'_And mom could chase down any crook.'_ I remembered what my shadow had said. While they had also been my thoughts, I'd always assumed they were just a child's exaggerations.

"C'mon Shiro!" Another team-mate called. "You're small, too!"

"What does that have to do with anything?!" I yelled. I could feel the sweat soaking my shirt and gulped. "Persona." I whispered to give me courage.

My vision clouded like when I was in the TV without glasses. Most details vanished until everything looked like a blur. In any other situation, this would have hindered my performance, but now, it was easier to focus on Naoto.

She moved to my left and set up for a strike. I took a slight step right to throw her off, then lunged left when she kicked the ball. I didn't catch it, but I did manage to use my face to deflect it.

"Shiro!" Rise gasped.

My vision returned to, for the most part, normal. "Ow." I breathed, holding my head.

An arm reached out to help me up. I took it, thinking it was Kyoya or Naoto. But when I looked up, I was met by a blonde blur.

"Shiro, are you alright?" Kanji waved his free hand in front of my face.

"I think so." I breathed. My head was spinning and I momentarily forgot where I was. "I'm fine, dad."

"What?"

"Tatsumi, is she okay?" Kyoya called, bringing me back.

My eyes grew wide and I blushed. "K-K-Kanji?!" I cried, sitting up on my own. "Sorry."

Kanji, who was also blushing and looking at me with wide eyes, nodded slowly. "Y-yeah. You got hit pretty hard."

"Kuroshin!" Utamaro ran up to help me stand even though I was surrounded. "That looked painful."

"Yeah, a little." I tried to grin at him. "Looks like you're back in net." I patted his shoulder and stumbled over to the sidelines toward Rise. Kanji and Naoto followed.

"What did you mean by 'dad'?" Kanji asked once I was sitting on a bench.

"You look like my dad." I confessed. My head hurt too much to think of a better excuse. "Head trauma. Blurry vision."

"It was a good save." Rise offered.

"Thanks, but I don't think I deserve it. I think I cheated." I confessed. "I think Kuma-kami helped me see Naoto's movements."

"You used your Persona outside of the TV?!" Kanji barely kept his voice below a scream. "How is that possible?"

"I didn't actually use her." I pointed out. "Just a little of her power."

"Does this have something to do with the vortex?" Naoto asked herself more than me. "Because she shouldn't exist in this time?"

"It doesn't really matter, does it?" Rise handed me a cold cloth for my head. "All that's important right now is if Shiro's okay."

"Other than a headache, I'm fine." I looked up at Naoto and grinned. "Nice kick."

* * *

_**Tuesday, May 28, 2013**_

The game had already started when I finally made it to the field. When Kyoya saw me, he looked more relieved than he should have been. "I'm glad you came."

"You do know I'm not part of the team, right?" I reminded him. "But I wouldn't miss this. How's Utamaro's ankle holding up?"

In response, he pointed out to the field where Utamaro was making a save. The crowd cheered as he stood up and tossed the ball to one of his team-mates.

"He's determined to become as good as you." Kyoya filled me in. "Can you believe he's only a first year? He's got real talent."

I watched Utamaro shuffling his feet as his team-mates moved the ball toward the opposite net. The first year goalies when I was in school always relaxed when the ball became closer to the opponent's goal. But Utamaro acted like, at any moment, someone was going to take a shot at him.

"Hey, Shiro, see that guy over there?" Kyoya pointed across the field at someone in the stands. "The guy with the bandage on his nose?"

I nodded when I caught sight of the man in question. His brown hair was cut really short, but fit his facial features perfectly.

"That's Nagase Daisuke. He graduated last year." Kyoya explained. "Utama watched all of his games last year and got hooked. Actually, he's the only first year on the team."

I saw that the man was having trouble sitting still. I laughed when he jumped to his feet and the guy beside him had to pull him back.

"Shiro?" I turned when Kyoya said my name. "Thanks. I know you'll be leaving soon, but thanks for taking the time to help us out."

"No problem." I smiled. "It was fun."

At halftime, Utamaro came over, drenched in sweat, and sat on the bench beside me. "You came!" He grabbed my hand. "Did you see me?! What did you think?!"

"You're amazing." I admitted. "Kyoya tells me your just a first year. By the time you graduate, you might be as good as a pro."

Utamaro blushed and looked away. "You think so? I just want to be as good as you. The way you could focus on Shirogane was awesome. I want to be able to get that focused."

"I know you can." Despite him being soaked, I gave him a hug. "Step by step."

* * *

**This one's for anyone whose ever been hit in the head by a ball. It hurts.**


	12. Chapter 12

_**Sunday, June 2, 2013**_

It had been raining for the past three days. In that time, Ginta and Kirino had been preparing the equipment needed to open the vortex. I'd been transferred out of school and said goodbye to my classmates.

All that was left was to say goodbye to my friends.

"I don't want you to go!" Teddie cried into my shoulder.

"Ted." Yosuke pulled back his co-worker and shook his head. "It's not like this is goodbye forever. We'll meet her again in the future."

"No, you'll meet her in the future!" Teddie yelled, the sorrow of the moment causing him to lash out at his friends. "I'll just be forgotten in the TV again!"

"Teddie's right." Rise added. "Not all of us know Shiro in the future."

"Maybe it's safe to change that." Yu suggested. "In twenty-five years, Shiro would have come here. So, if we all meet up in the TV after that, it shouldn't change anything that she knows."

"Good idea." Yukiko agreed, then pulled out her phone. "Why don't we all meet…" She scrolled through some pages. "April 18th? It looks like that's a Sunday."

Everyone pulled out their phones to input the data. When they were done, they looked at me.

"I have to leave my phone here." I explained. "But I'll write it on my calendar when I get home. When we meet up in the future, I'll give you my real name and phone number."

Naoto nodded. "We'll see you then."

Teddie wrapped his arms around me again. "I still don't want you to go! Don't forget me!"

"Teddie, for me, we're meeting in only a few day." I tapped my finger on his nose like I did with the Amagi twins when I babysat. "_You_'d better not forget _me_."

"I never forget!" He assured me.

"The fog's pretty thick." Yu reminded us. "If you don't hurry, you may be stuck here longer."

"Okay." I choked on my words and felt tears running down my face. "Goodbye."

* * *

"Here." Kirino handed me two bags. One was a Junes grocery bag with three boxes of granola inside. "I was amazed when I found the same brand. It must be popular. I also kept the receipt from when you got here."

"Thanks." I handed back the second bag. "But I can't take this with me right now." The bag was filled with the clothes and accessories I'd bought during my month and a half with them. "I can't even take the wolf with me."

"We'll just send them later." Ginta promised. "Once you're through, we'll change the destination date to a few days later."

"But…" I tried to protest.

"We can't keep them." Kirino sniffled. "They're a reminder that's too painful."

"Okay." I conceded. "But wrap it like a gift. That way, it won't look as weird."

"Gift tag?" Ginta asked. "What should we write? You still can't tell us your full name, and Hikaru is such a common name."

"How about 'Hikaru T.'. I think I'm the only Hikaru in Inaba with the last initial 'T', so that should work." I tried to think if there was anything else.

"It's ready." Kirino led me to a platform, then pushed a few buttons on a panel. "Goodbye Hikaru."

"Take care, Kiddo." Ginta wouldn't look at me, but I could hear the sobs in his voice.

There was a flash of light and I had to close my eyes. The platform felt like it was moving. At some point, I tripped and felt myself tumbling and I traveled through the time vortex.

* * *

_**Wednesday, April 14, 2038**_

When I opened my eyes again, I was looking at my face reflected in a TV screen. I glanced around and determined that I was, indeed, back in my own time, at Junes. I looked at the clock and saw that it was quarter to ten.

_Close enough._ I shrugged. I picked up the bag of granola boxes Kirino had given me, along with the receipt from the bag I had when I'd arrived, and headed for the elevator.

Even though _orange juice_ was on the slip, it was just a small bottle. I'd just tell my brother, who was sure to notice, that I'd already drank it and thrown out the bottle.

Thinking about my brother made me happy to be home, but also reminded me of everyone I'd left behind. I knew I'd be meeting my friends in a few days, but I'd probably never see Ginta or Kirino again. Or Kyoya and Utamaro.

My thoughts wandered to the fox and I started crying. He had most likely passed away. I promised that I'd create a puppet show in his honor that I'd perform at the shrine.

* * *

"I'm back!" I called when I opened the door. "I got granola!"

"Quiet!" My dad yelled. He came into the hall and crossed his arms. "How many times do I have to tell you to keep your voice down! This is also a shop!"

I couldn't help the smile that spread over my lips. "Sorry dad."

His face softened, then turned puzzled. "Hikaru…?"

My breath caught in my throat. _Does he remember me?_ "What is it?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. I just realized that you look like someone I knew as a high school student."

I breathed a mental sigh of relief. "Well, I'm hungry. Gotta eat breakfast." I walked past him into the kitchen.

"Hikaru." He called after me. "Take care of Kuma-kami."

* * *

**This would have been up sooner, but my internet was down.**

**She's finally home, but the story isn't quite done. Stay tuned.**


	13. Chapter 13

_**Sunday, April 18, 2038**_

When the doorbell rang, I jumped. _How long was I asleep?_ I asked myself, glancing around the front hall for a clock. 11:15am. The bell rang again.

"Coming!" I called, clambering to my feet. I opened the door and smiled. "Hi Tomoe! What's up?"

Hanamura Tomoe ran a hand through his hair. I noticed that he looked a lot like his dad when he was that age. "Hey, uh, one of the employees found this in the electronics department." He held up a bag that looked like it was overflowing with tissue paper. "The tag said 'Hikaru T.', so dad figured to was you, Tatsumi."

"It's fine if you call me by my first name." I sighed. "Anyway, thanks." I took the bag and he started walking away. "Bye." He waved without turning around.

I sighed again and walked back into the house. Hiro was waiting for me. "What's that?" he asked.

"Tomoe brought it over. Someone found it in Junes." I tried to duck around him. I had a feeling I knew who it was from.

He blocked my path. "That doesn't answer my question."

"Gah! Stop being all 'Detective Shirogane'!" I ran up the stairs. "I don't know what it is! I can't see through the wrapping, you know!"

When I got to my room, I made sure the door was securely closed before opening the package. Underneath the tissue paper was a light pink fabric. _What?_ I thought, pulling it out. Under it was black fabric. _What's going on?_

I unfolded the cloth and smiled when I recognised the clothes I'd bought when Teddie had taken me on a date. The bag was full of clothes Kirino had gotten me. At the bottom was the knitted wolf Kanji had given me and a note.

**Thought you might want these to remember your time out of time.**

** Ginta and Kirino.**

"Thank you." I whispered, then looked at the door, worried Hiro was listening. "Hiro?" I called. There was no answer.

I quickly changed into the black shirt and pink dress.

There was a knock on my door. "Hikaru?" my dad called through the wood. "Are you ready?"

I laughed. "Yeah." I opened the door and smiled. "Does mom know?"

He smirked. "She will soon." We walked down the stairs and were almost out the door when he turned to the living room. "Hiro, can you watch the store for a few hours?"

"Sure, dad." My brother called back.

"Where'd you get those clothes?" he asked as we walked to Junes.

"On a date with Teddie." I smiled at his startled expression. "Hard to imagine your daughter dating someone you met in high school, isn't it."

"I hate time travel." He grumbled.

* * *

I looked around at the new surroundings. Every time I'd entered the TV in the past, it was always some sort of dungeon for me to train in. Now, it looked like a mountain side lake.

"Wow." I breathed. "Are we really in the TV?"

"Yeah, we are." My dad led me through a small meadow to a gazebo-like place. "It can change a lot in a short period of time. I was just here yesterday and this wasn't here."

"Kanji, you're late." Chie's voice reached us. She was wearing her training uniform, but her hair, which she'd grown out slightly, wasn't tied back. "Naoto arrived half an hour ago."

"Sorry. Hikaru fell asleep in the hall. No one could come in or go out." Kanji laughed, half hiding me from view.

"So we're only waiting for Shiro now." Teddie smiled. To his word, he hadn't changed much. His eyes showed a little less innocence, but beyond that, he looked the same. "I hope she remembered."

"What do you think her real name is?" Yukiko wondered out loud.

"Yukiko, you've been asking that since she left." Rise giggled.

Both girls looked similar to how they did in the past, but their hair was clearly longer. Rise had changed from pigtails to a half-up-half-down hairstyle while Yukiko had her hair in a stylish twist.

Yu and Yosuke looked the same as before, only older.

"Where is she?" Teddie cried. "Did she really forget?"

I couldn't hide any longer. "I'm right here, Teddie!" I ran up and gave him a hug. "I didn't forget. It was dad's idea to hide."

"Hikaru?" Naoto stood up, but didn't move. Kanji went over and sat beside her, pulling his wife back into her seat. "Since when did you know about this?"

"Since the granola incident." He smiled. "She got pulled into the vortex when she went out to get more."

"You're wearing the dress!" Teddie was still crying, but they were happy tears. "How'd you get it here?"

"Trans-time post." I joked. "The scientist I'd been staying with sent it."

"Wait." Yosuke held up his hands. "So, Hikaru, Kanji and Naoto's daughter, was Shiro?"

"Yosuke, you should have figured it out sooner." Chie poked his head. "She did say you call her when there're sales."

"You don't honestly expect me to remember little details like that, do you." He sighed, then jerked his head around. "Holy crap! We did all get married. Even Chie!"

"I'm married to you, you numbskull!"

"Did anything change?" Yu asked, always a man to focus on important facts.

"Nope." I grinned. "Since no one found out it was me before I got back, everything was fine."

"Thinking back on it, there were lots of similarities we should have seen." Naoto speculated. "Her scar, for one."

They spent the rest of the afternoon reminiscing about the time I'd spent in the past while Teddie and I planned another date. When we left the TV world, I found Tomoe and thanked him again for the delivery before going home with my mom and dad.

I was a better person now, with skills I never would have found in my own time, and friends I would never forget. The future of Inaba was definitely a bright one.

* * *

**Hope everyone enjoyed the story. I enjoyed writing it.**

**Please don't yell at me for the pairings. They were just my opinion. If you don't agree, write your own story.**


	14. Extra

_**Friday, January 19, 2018**_

Kanji passed in front of the door, occasionally looking up at the clock. _Is she okay?_ He asked in his head. _It's been almost an hour._

Naoto had woken him up, saying she had to go to the hospital. He'd mumbled in agreement, then turned over to go back to sleep. "Now!" She all but screamed at him.

So he'd grabbed the bag they'd packed together a few days ago and helped her to the car. All through the car ride she'd screamed in pain. It had been torture, hearing the woman he loved so much in such agony.

"Tatsumi-san?" A nurse put her hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"I'm not the one in there!" He snapped, causing the nurse to flinched away. Kanji forced his voice to stay calm. "I'm fine. How's Naoto?"

The nurse smiled. "Shirogane-san is doing just fine. It shouldn't take more than another half-hour." She bowed and walked through the doors.

Kanji took a few deep breaths and continued his pacing. Ten minutes later, the nurse returned.

"I have a message from your wife." She smiled. "'Happy birthday, Kanji. Your gift is a son.'"

Kanji ran through the doors. If she'd sent a message, then Naoto was okay. He found her room, took a few deep breaths, and opened the door.

Naoto was lying in her bed, holding a blue bundle in her arms. She looked up when he walked in and smiled. "Hi."

He couldn't speak. All he could do was walk over and look down at his son. The baby was sleeping and Kanji thought he'd never see something that cute for as long as he lived.

"Hiro." He whispered the name they'd finally decided on the night before. "Shirogane Hiro."

"What?" Naoto whispered, looking into her husband's eyes. "I thought…"

"He looks like you." Kanji put his arm around her shoulders. "Do you think he'll be the sixth generation? Or something different?"

"It's his choice." She stroked her son's head gently and Kanji noticed that she was crying. "I never really knew my mother." She reminded him. "What do I do now?"

"This is fine."

* * *

_**Saturday, February 29, 2020**_

"Thanks Nanako!" Kanji called over his shoulder to their babysitter. "Hiro, you be good!" his son made a sour face, not liking the fact that he was about to become an older brother.

"Bye!" Nanako waved at her friend as he helped Naoto into the car. "What do you think Hiro? Boy or girl?" The boy sulked and walked into the hall.

Their daughter's birth was much different than Hiro's. There had been complications that had resulted in her needing immediate surgery. Now, she lay in her hospital crib, healing from the cuts that had saved her young life.

"What do you think?" Naoto asked when they were alone in her room. "We never really discussed it before, but wouldn't it be sweet?"

"It wasn't her real name." Kanji thought for a second. "Hikari. How about Hikari?"

Shiro Kuroshin, the girl from the future who'd been their friend in high school, had helped them and their friends a lot in the short time she'd been there. Naoto had suggested naming their daughter after her, who's condition seemed the same.

They both looked down at the girl sleeping in the glass crib beside Naoto's bed. Her small thumb was sitting in her mouth, a line of drool running down her chin. Somehow, Hikari just didn't fit.

"Hikaru." They whispered at the same time. It was a perfect fit.

Naoto looked up. "Tatsumi Hikaru."

Kanji nodded. "They may have different family names, but they're still siblings."

Hikaru sniffled and they laughed.

* * *

_**Wednesday, April 14, 2038**_

Kanji watched Hikaru walk into the kitchen. He was amazed that he'd never noticed before.

_The same scar from the same surgery._ He connected the dots in his mind. He'd been told that Shiro had looked a lot like him, but he'd never given it much thought.

He noticed that her hair looked slightly longer, as if it had grown in the hour she'd been gone. That wasn't possible, unless…

"A month and a half." He whispered to himself. "It took her a month and a half to get cereal."

"Hiro!" Hikaru's voice echoed throughout the house. "Don't put the empty milk carton back in the fridge!"

Kanji sighed. _A month and a half and she hasn't changed one bit._


End file.
